Titanium, silver, and tantalum clips in brain tissue.

The brain tissue reaction to a recently devised titanium haemoclip and to the conventional silver and tantalum clips were investigated in rabbit brain. Titanium, silver, and tantalum wires 5 X 0.5 X 0.5 mm in size were implanted into the white matter of the brain. After one and six months the brain specimens were sectioned, stained with haematoxylin eosin and with phosphotungstic acid Haematoxylin, and were studied by light microscopy. The examination revealed neither tissue reaction nor pigmentation in the case of titanium implant, while there was pigmentation surrounding the tantalum, and there was pigmentation as well as reactive gliosis around the silver wires.